Marlins clinch 4th playoff berth in franchise history, eliminate Cubs

The Miami Marlins will celebrate their 30th season by playing postseason baseball.

Miami officially clinched its fourth playoff berth in franchise history with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The victory eliminated the Chicago Cubs from postseason contention.

"We've been living for six years with 'Let’s Go Mets' in our stadium all the time," Marlins owner Bruce Sherman said. "Mets didn't finish. Yankees didn't finish. San Diego didn't finish. Payrolls three times our and look what we did."

First baseman Josh Bell had two hits with three RBIs to lead the Marlins. Meanwhile, the club used eight pitchers to hold the Pirates to three runs. Reliever A.J. Puk picked up the victory.

"I feel like we're just the biggest family in the league," Jazz Chisholm said. "I feel like nobody is as connected as us as a team. I feel like when someone gets going, everybody gets going. That’s the plan here and we’re just family and we’re coming in together."

The Marlins previously made the playoffs as a wild-card team in 1997, 2003, and 2020. They won the World Series in their first two postseason appearances.

"This team has just exemplified heart and they know it," said general manager Kim Ng, the first female GM in Major League Baseball history. "And I think that is the driver of this group."

The club will start the postseason Tuesday on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies or Milwaukee Brewers.

Miami can still finish in the NL's second wild-card spot.

The Marlins' minus-53 run differential is easily the worst out of any team heading into the 2023 playoffs.